Hebron embroiled in loudspeaker war between Jews, Muslims

The Jewish and Muslim residents of the Judean city of Hebron are embroiled in a noise-making war that some security officials fear will boil over into armed confrontation.

The very small Jewish community in Hebron said they, like the non-Muslim residents of many cities around the world, have been made to endure disruptive Muslim prayers blasted from the tops of local mosques five times a day for decades.

Recently, some of the city's Jews decided to make a point by responding in kind and playing loud Hassidic music from a Jewish event hall in the center of town. Israeli police officers ended that practice.

But Israel's Ynet news portal reports that the same group of Jews has now resurfaced playing the same music, this time from loudspeakers mounted atop a vehicle.

The vehicle drives through the streets of Hebron playing the music, but promptly disappears whenever the police approach.

A spokesman for the Hebron Jewish community said the Muslim loudspeakers were only a small example of the harassment local Jews are subjected to, which also includes beatings and house invasions. The spokesman indicated that the community was trying to keep things non-violent by responding to the less serious provocation and trying to draw national attention.

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